Emilee...

Last night (Well... actually very early this morning... I had coffee way too late last night!) I sat down to compose an email to my good friend, Emilee... Our friendship dates back to our first year of University (Way back to 1998) I adored her from the moment we met... She was full of life and energy... And despite being a busy Architecture student, she always had time to grab a coffee and a chat! When Jay and I got married, Emilee took hundreds of wonderful candid shots of our wedding... They are some of our most treasured possessions... Last July we had the pleasure of witnessing Em marry the love of her life... And she couldn't have picked better! Not only is Nick a teacher (Yeah teachers!)... He is intelligent, caring and he has enough energy to keep up with Em!

Early last week I got an email... The email filled me in on all the details of what had been going on in Emilee's life... Two weeks ago today Em visited the ER because she was having very bad headaches... After an MRI she found out she has a brain tumour... Poof... Just like that, her whole life, and the lives of all those that love her, were changed! In an instant... Emilee has currently undergone surgery to relieve the swelling in her brain and she's now awaiting the results of the biopsy... It's hard for me to imagine such a vivacious and intellegent person, sitting in bed, and waiting... But that's her life... For the moment...

Em has been very much in my thoughts and prayers... And what she has undergone thus far has reminded me that there are no guarantees... We must be ready at any time to walk through the "frowning providences"... It has also reminded me that we serve a loving and faithful God...

In the email I sent to Emilee, I send along the words of William Cowper's hymn (1774)

"God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain."